Skin Lightening Part 1 (Peeling Solution)

Bleaching is perhaps one of the fastest and easiest method in lightening the skin. Bleaching products works by peeling off dead skin which causes skin darkening. One product that I personally use over the years is Maxi Peel exfoliant solution. I have also tried other cream and similar cleanser type exfoliant but this product works best for me so far. This product comes in four levels depending on the level that suits your skin's needs.

Maxi Peel 1 and 2 are for mild treatment. This is used if you feel that you only need to peel off your old dry skin to reveal a softer and pinkish lighter skin.



Maxi Peel 3 and 4 are for the disappearance of blemishes, dark spots and acne marks. The same as Maxi Peel 1 and 2, it peels off dead skin but at a more advance rate. There's visible peeling in areas where this product is applied.

Although this product was proven beneficial to skin lightening, there are some temporary "side effects" during usage. Here it is:

1. Peeling – definitely expect some skin peeling, if not a lot. This is Maxi-peel’s main job and it is actually a good thing. Skin peeling gets rid of dull, damaged skin so the smooth, new skin underneath can be revealed.
Some people find the peeling a bit much, in this case, take a 1-2 day break from using Maxi-peel, even if you’re in the middle of using it. You will find that your skin will peel more after you’ve stopped. On these days, wash your face with only cool or lukewarm water (no soap or facial cleansers) twice a day and gently rub all surfaces and nooks and crannies of your face to remove the peeling skin. After doing this for 1-2 days, your skin will peel less.

2. Redness – many people complain about extreme redness with Maxi-peel. The thing to remember is Maxi-peel is a lot like a chemical peel and peeling and redness are very common to happen. If you feel that the redness is a bit too much, stop applying Maxi-peel for 1-2 days. You should also ALWAYS apply plenty of sunscreen to prevent skin burning from the hot sun.

3. Skin stinging while applying Maxi-peel – after I’ve used Maxi-peel for a few days, I find that applying it right after I’ve washed my face tends to sting A LOT. I recently discovered a technique to decrease the stinging and that is to space the washing and the application at least 4 hours apart. I wash my face right away after going home from work around mid afternoon and then I apply Maxi-peel before going to bed at night. This gap between washing and application will give your skin time to resupply some of the oils lost from washing and so the oils help in reducing the stinging by reducing your skin’s dryness when applying Maxi-peel. Main point – your skin stings from applying Maxi-peel because it gets too dry! Allow your skin to produce oils long enough to soothe your skin when Maxi-peel is applied.

4. Break outs – Maxi-peel will cause some acne to come out during the first few weeks. This is because it is going deep inside the pores to take underlying impurities out. Once the acne surfaces, Maxi-peel will dry them up pretty quickly. My tip is to keep using Maxi-peel on your pimples. DO NOT STOP. If you stop when pimples surface you will find that they will stay visible on your skin longer than if you continue to use Maxi-peel. If you have problems of redness and peeling at the same time as breakouts and want to take a 1-2 day break, using a cotton tip applicator, apply Maxi-peel only to the acne areas. This method will dry up the pimples and allow the unaffected areas to resupply oils lost from dryness.

My Step-by-Step Maxi-peel Regimen

The summary of my daily Maxi-peel regimen is as follows:

At bedtime:

1. Wash face with a gentle cleanser (like Cetaphil)

2. Do not towel dry your face. Let it air dry.

3. Apply a generous amount of Vaseline petroleum jelly to your lips.

4. Put 3-4 drops of your ideal Maxi-peel strength onto a cotton pad and gently rub on your face in an upwards motion.

5. Wash your hands thoroughly. Clean it of any Maxi-peel solution.

6. Leave it overnight.

In the morning:

1. Wash face with cool water only. If you wish, you can use a gentle cleanser again but not necessarily.

2. Rub your wet face gently with your fingertips to remove dead skin. Then rub your lips to also remove dead skin. Rinse face and lips with cool water.

(If you are taking a shower first thing in the morning you can do these in the shower as well).

3. Do not towel dry your face. Let it air dry.

4. Once dry, apply a liberal amount of a lightweight moisturizer with a high spf of at least 25.

5. Then dab a concealing stick make-up on your imperfections to hide them.

6. Lastly, apply an eye hydrator gel or cream above and below your eyes.

You’re done! If the sun is particularly hot, wear a hat for added protection.

TIP: Only use maxi peel once a month or 

once in every three weeks. Do not apply 

maxi peel on your face everyday.

Hair Extensions Part 4 (Fusion)

Hair Extensions Part 4 (Fusion)

The fusion method delivers one of the most versatile and most natural-looking weaves on the market. With this technique a machine similar to a hot glue gun is used to attach human hair extensions to individual strands of one's natural hair of about 1/8 to 1/4 inch squared sections for a truly authentic look. Another option for fusion attachments is using hair which is pre-tipped with a keratin adhesive. A heat clamp is then used to melt the adhesive to attach the extension hair to the natural hair. Fusion weave allows washing hair frequently and the use of regular hair products such as hair gels. Nonetheless this technique is very time consuming because it takes about 4–8 hours; it is also relatively expensive in comparison to the other techniques because it takes so much time and precision.

Hair Extensions- The Good The Bad and The Ugly

Hair Extensions - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Hair Extensions - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Karen Marie Shelton - Copyright - All Rights Reserved Revised Publication Date:  01/05/12 Introduction Almost everyone will agree that having long hair is a lot of time and effort. Sometimes it seems like the time and effort involved is too much. The instant way to have long hair is by wearing long wigs, long hair pieces or hair extensions.  Hair extensions have been popular off and on for several years. Many movie stars ranging from Madonna and Demi Moore to Cameron Diaz have used hair extensions for movie roles. It's a great way to create an instant long haired look. With the recent introduction of clip-in extensions more women,  celebrities and non-celebs alike, are wearing add-on tresses than ever before. What Are Hair Extensions? Many people are curious about what materials are used to create various hair extensions.  This is not an easy answer since hair extensions can be created from 100% real human hair, 100% synthetic hair or a mixture of human, synthetic and animal hair. Hair extensions are available in just about any color, texture or length. Popular TV star Brandi often wears extensions as well. Life Expectancy Of The Extension Most extensions, if applied properly, will last up to four months. After this the special glue-like bond attached to your natural hair will begin to loosen and fall off. Many people will only keep their hair extensions for a short period of time for a special event or occasion. How long extensions are kept is a personal decision. Care Of Your Hair Extensions Hair extensions are washed and treated the same way as you do your natural hair. Hair extensions may wear out with normal wash and wear. As your hair grows, this will tend to affect the extensions. It is recommended that you used high quality gentle hair care products to encourage a long life for your extensions. Removing The Extension Removal of hair extensions can be done by the professional that applied them or can be carefully removed at home. You can remove hair extensions by twisting the tiny braided attachments and then gently snapping the seal. Disadvantages Of Hair Extensions It is a well known fact that hair extensions can do damage to your natural hair. The glue that is attached to your natural hair can burn and split the ends of your hair. This means that you will almost always be required to have the ends of your hair cut after the extensions are removed. Also, if a lot of long or heavy extensions are added, this applies additional pressure to your scalp. One of the dangers of extra pressure to your scalp can be a thinning of your natural hair. In some cases there have been reports of headaches from the added weight of the hair or allergies to the bonding glue that is used. Everyone is different and will react to hair extensions in a different way. They are not necessarily good or bad. It depends on a number of factors that you have to consider. If you are trying to grow your hair long, you might want to think seriously of the potential damage the hair extensions could do to your long hair quest. However, if you only would like a new look for a few months and are prepared to lose some inches along with the extensions, they can be a great solution. The best advice is to find an expert at hair extensions and discuss all the pros and cons of the instant hair look. Advantages Of Hair Extensions Hair extensions can be a lot of fun if you are aware of the risks and the procedures. If you get good advice and find a professional who is skilled at extensions listed below are some of the advantages you can enjoy: 1.  An instant new look which is fairly easy to care for once it's applied. 2.  The ability to change your hairstyle at any time and know that the long hair has a limited life cycle. 3.  You can have an intricate pattern of different colors or beads added to the extension without additional damage to your hair. 4.  You can have the look and feel of long hair before you decide to invest a lot of time and energy growing your own. Summary Although it may be costly and time-consuming to have applied hair extensions can provide the instant gratification of a gorgeous new long hair look. There are both pros and cons for hair extensions. As long as you do the research and are willing to assume the risks, hair extensions can be a new adventure for your hair. To read lots of great tips by real Do It Yourself hair extension experts check out the DIY Extensions Forum on theHairBoutique.com HairTalk board. Original Publication Date:  05/01/2000 - Revised Publication Date:  01/05/12

If you want to talk more about this or other hair care articles on HairBoutique.com or anywhere else, please post a message on  HairBoutique.com's Hair Talk Forums. For additional hair care articles, tips and product information check out the following links: Hair Boutique Tips & Articles section.  Check out the over 10,000+ different hair care and styling tips at HairBoutique.com Hair Extensions & Related Articles - Check out our Hair Extensions Page Hair Extensions - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Karen Shelton investigates hair extensions. To read lots of great tips by real Do It Yourself hair extension experts check out the DIY Extensions Forum on the HairBoutique.com HairTalk board. HairTopia Hair Vitamins - Jane Bullock shares her experiences with this vitamin that helps hair grow. HairTopia Hair Vitamin Facts - Details on the ingredients for this hair growth formula. Stop by and check out our HairBoutique Daily Blog Hair Guru Barbara Lhotan Visits HairBoutique.com For Marathon Hair Extensions And Consultations

Hair Extensions part 3 (Bonding and Sealing Extensions)

Hair Extensions part 3 (Bonding and 

Sealing Extensions)

Bonding is an approach to hair weave that lasts for a shorter period of time in comparison to sew-in weave. It involves the application of hair glue to a section of wefted hair then onto a person's natural hair; special hair adhesives are used in bonding to prevent damage to one's natural hair. This technique is commonly used and does not cause damage to the hair unless taken out without proper directions from a professional. It is advised that weave bonding be installed for up to 3 weeks because the glue begins to loosen up and lessens the attractiveness of the hair. 

There are 2 types of bonds: soft bond which is flexible and comfortable to wear and are made using latex,acrylic or silicone and hard bond which is the professional name for super glue. Hard bond adhesives last longer than soft bond adhesives because it is not water based and therefore does not fall apart. Nonetheless, the hard bond adhesives are not as comfortable as the soft bond adhesive because they are rigid. These bond attachments generally last 4–6 weeks before a maintenance appointment is necessary.

Hair Extensions Part 2 (Metal Coil or Micro Rings Ext)

Micro Rings (Micro Loops)

Micro rings or micro loop hair extensions use small 

metal rings (usually 

aluminium) lined with silicone 

with the extension hair

 attached. They are fixed to 

small sections of natural hair

 and tightened using a 

special tool that clamps the 

loop around the natural hair. 

The micro loops are designed to be small enough so that they are not visible in normal use. They need re-positioning every 3 to 4 months as the natural hair grows and the micro rings move away from the scalp. One advantage to micro rings is a lower overall cost. Although the cost of the hair extensions is similar or slightly higher, they can generally be fitted in around half the time of sewn or glued/bonded hair extensions, reducing hairdresser costs.

As they do not use heat or adhesives, these hair extensions should cause less damage than 

some types. However some users report that the micro rings themselves can be uncomfortable, 

especially when sleeping, as they press into the scalp. 




Sometimes, its only the metal coil alone and 

without the silicone. I do not personally recommend this 

type of extension since it  damages the hair and scalp after

several weeks. It's only good for short term use.

Furthermore,

it would just prevent you from growing your hair faster. 

Hair Extensions Part 1 (Clip-ons)

There are types of hair extensions--whether synthetic or human hair. While most of them are likely to be just temporary or if not high maintenance, the price of a longer hair is really worth it. It enhances your face and and accentuates the body. Your beauty meter goes up to double and you'll know why if you try one of these:

 Clip-In Hair Extension

These extensions may be synthetic or human hair. I f it's synthetic, it will always become frizzy in time. after one month of heavy use. specially if you use it every day when its more exposed to air, dust, and sweat, 2 weeks is long enough for it to stay shiny. This is true to all synthetic hair extensions. ITs advantage over the human hair extension is that it's way cheaper and you can always buy a different style as often as you want. You can buy it at DIVISORIA for only 50 pesos per clip. Those quality of hair extensions frizz faster though. If you want it to last longer, you can buy the one at SM for only 800 pesos. however,it still becomes frizzy in time although for a longer time. To take care of your extentions, you can wash them with shampoo once in every two weeks for heavy use. Then iron it so it stays shiny. It is recommended that you only use it during occassions and special days if you cant afford to keep on buying every month. it's like disposable then. Once it gets too frizzy, you cant use it anymore unless you want to look funny because it becomes stiff and messy.

REMINDERS:
1.Always make sure that your original hair is of the same hue and color to your extensions so that it will blend naturally. If your using curly extensions, do your original hair with iron curler first --same with straight extensions. You should always blend them together including the texture since synthetic hair extensions are shiny or glossy, you need to iron your hair as well to smoothen rough strands.

2. Sew the clips with thread before using it then put an adhesive like clear glue or any strong adhesive to the part you sewed. This will prevent the clips from falling off from the hair.

Here's a video tutorial on how to apply clip-in hair extensions